Looking Past Appearances
by dustytiger
Summary: Prentiss sees Reid at a bar, dancing with a very distinctively dressed woman. She confronts said woman and learns a few things about the couple and herself. Stand alone. Challenge response for CCOAC.


Title: Looking Past Appearances  
Author: Trista Groulx aka dustytiger  
Rating: T (like the shows)  
Disclaimer: I own neither CM or NCIS, they belong to their networks, creators, writers, actors and actresses who bring them each to life weekly. I continue to be a poor barista and unmotivated direct sales consultant.  
Summary: Prentiss sees Reid at a bar, dancing with a very distinctively dressed woman. She comforts said woman and learns a few things about the couple and herself.  
Notes: This is a stand alone challenge response to the crossover challenge on chit chat on author's corner. Sorry this took so long but I've been focusing on my longfic but I got it done. This idea came to me when I first got the assignment. The pairing is Reid/Abby cause I think they could be awesome together. Enjoy!

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Emily Prentiss was sitting at the bar, sipping on a pint when she noticed someone very familiar out of the corner of her eye. Had she had more to drink she would have been sure that her eyes were playing tricks on her. Doctor Spencer Reid was on the dance floor, with a very uniquely dressed woman gyrating in front of him. The woman had black hair, which was pulled back into pig tails, a short dark coloured skirt, platform boots, a dog collar, and a red shirt that showed quite a lot of cleavage. The woman kept taking Reid's hands and placing them on her hips any time the genius' long digits tried to stray as she swivelled to music. As much as she thought that Reid would hate his gazed was focused downward and like any man he was fixated and there was a grin in on his face. Prentiss wasn't sure what was more bizarre the woman he was dancing with or the awkward dance moves.

After watching the couple for a few moments Prentiss was even more shocked when the woman turned around in the man's arms and planted an open mouth kiss on him. She was sure that he was going to react to this. Instead his arms wrapped around her, falling just above the hemline of her short skirt, clearly pulling her closer and presumably deepening the embrace. Clearly Reid was comfortable with this woman and Prentiss felt the need to get to the bottom of it. The woman then sauntered off toward the bathroom as Reid went over to the bar. Prentiss knew she should just talk to Reid about who the woman was, but instead she followed the woman into the bathroom.

When Prentiss went in she decided to wash her hands in the middle basin, to force the mystery woman to stand next to her. She waited for the stall door to open. Seeing the woman up close she was attractive, but her style took away from it. Prentiss wasn't sure what kind of woman Reid would gravitate toward but this woman was not what she pictured. Prentiss was already profiling the woman just by what she was wearing. She was sure that her look was a way to deflect attention from herself. As the other woman lathered her hands Prentiss knew that it was time to find out what was going on because she wouldn't get another chance.

"What's going on with you and that guy you're dancing with?" Prentiss asked.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," Abby Scuito replied.

"I just…" Prentiss tried to explain.

"I realise that dressing like I do makes people think I'm a lot of things that I'm not. If you're looking for a three way I'm not your ticket, okay? I am a one man at a time kind of girl. I totally get that it's most guys' fantasy but my guy is so not like that. I get why you'd think we might be kinky the way we move on the dance floor, but it's not like that got it? We're not interested go away now."

Prentiss had to stop herself from shuddering. The last she wanted was to see Reid naked, and she certainly didn't want to be involved in what he did behind closed doors with his girlfriend. Although a part of her was relieved that this woman wasn't looking for something more than Reid could provide since her personal life might not be as unique as her style.

"That's not what I was going to say. So you're dating Reid?" Prentiss asked, not believing Reid would keep this from the team.

"Now I get it, you work with Spencer, right?"

Prentiss nodded, still not believing that Reid was dating a woman like that. Reid was socially awkward, and dressed like he had come from a different time. This woman was dressed in a way that made her stand out. The woman was also clearly used to the reaction she got from the way she dressed and was able to defend her reasoning, which made Prentiss realise she was probably confronted with people assuming things about her regularly. She was beginning to feel a little guilty about accosting her like that. She was sure that Reid had a reason for keeping his relationship a secret.

"I don't think this is the time and place to talk about my relationship with Spencer. If he hasn't told you about me I'm sure he has his reasons for that. Now I have finally gotten my sweet genius out for a night of dancing and I plan on making the most of it. Okay, seriously I get that you profile people, but doesn't that whole process entail looking past a person's clothing. Spencer knew right away that I didn't dress like this for attention but because it's what I like and I don't care what other people think about me. It's one of the things I like about him. I always thought his team would be kind of the same, but you're looking at me like I'm some man eating slut who is deflowering your sweet innocent little Reid. One of my best friends was a profiler she taught me a few tricks."

"I…"

"Followed me in here to find out who I was and if I was hurting him. I'm not stupid. I'm a forensic scientist, and I've worked at NCIS since I graduated. If you're wondering I met Spencer at a lecture we were both attending. He asked me out for coffee, and yes I was dressed like this when we met, he saw past that, just like I looked passed the fact he dresses like a hopeless old man, but it's kinda cute. We've been dating for three months and yes, I've seen his apartment and his bedroom, if you must know I'll let your imagination fill in the blanks. I'm a pretty open kind of person when it comes to human sexuality, but thankfully for you Spencer isn't and I'm not going to share the details with his friends behind his back, even if we were friends enjoying drinks, but we're not so I'm just gonna go now. Don't worry I won't tell Spencer you accosted me in the ladies' room, but you should probably tell him you saw him with me, you know cause you're supposed to be like family and all, though I gotta say my family isn't so sneaky about stuff."

"Look, I didn't mean to…"

"Whatever. I get it. You see your baby brother with someone like me and you figure I must have used voodoo to lure him in. You don't have to believe me but I love Spencer I'm not going to hurt him and I don't have him under a spell. We get each other. We both like science and we make each other happy, isn't that what you'd want for him?"

A woman came into the washroom. Both the women looked at her and she stopped for a moment. They tried to let her go about her business but the woman seemed to be frozen. Prentiss could tell she had had a few drinks already and wondered what might be wrong.

"Uh, sorry, Abby?" she said, looking right at the goth woman.

"Do I know you?" Abby asked. "Do you know her?"

"Uh, no, some guy just paid me like twenty bucks to come in here and make sure you hadn't been rufied, that's not the word he used but I think that's what he meant. He seemed worried so I said I'd look for you."

"You can tell him I'm fine and I'll be out in a minute." Abby then zeroed in on Prentiss. "Now you've made Spencer worry about me. Are you happy now?"

"I'm sorry?" Prentiss replied.

"If he'd wanted you to know he'd of told you."

Abby left the bathroom and went in search of Reid who was still holding a drink for her. She smiled at him then kissed him softly. She took the drink, but didn't find it as enjoyable as before.

"I can get you some water," Reid offered. "The combination of the sweat and drinking might make you feel dehydrated."

"It's not that, Spencer," she assured him.

"I told you I don't dance very well."

"You were fine out there. I think my buzz was just killed though. I kind of want to head home."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I ran into someone I used to know in the bathroom, and I don't like that she might be looking at us. Tonight was awesome I just am done."

"Okay if that's what you'd like."

It wasn't really what she wanted but she didn't want to have to wonder if Prentiss was still watching them. She knew there was a reason he hadn't told his team about them and she wasn't upset about. She knew he was a private person and would tell everyone when he was ready. She leaned in and kissed him softly.

"I had a lot of fun tonight but I want to go home," she told him.

He ran his fingers along her cheek. "Okay."

"And you're coming with me. There's no point in having a totally early night, you were such a good sport tonight baby. I love you."

He blushed. "I love you too Abby."

Prentiss watched her friend leave and wondered when he might tell her the truth. She realised that night just how much things had changed since she had gone into hiding. There was a time where Reid wouldn't have trusted anyone else but her with the truth about his relationship, now he was hiding from everyone, afraid to be hurt like that again. She was glad he had someone who he clearly cared about in his life. She might not be the person she would have pictured Reid with but she had learned a lot about looking past the surface in their brief encounter; she was truly happy for the couple even if neither of them would believe it. There was something between them that she knew would last.

The End

Notes: I don't really watch a lot of TV but I like Abby's character. I have a goth side to me, and so she appeal to me even if she is a little "paint by number" at times. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this. Let me know! Hugz and hearts all!


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